Connective differences between patients with depression with and without ASD: A case-control study

BackgroundResearchers find it difficult to distinguish between depression with ASD (Depress-wASD) and without ASD (Depression) in adult patients. We aimed to clarify the differences in brain connectivity between patients with depression with ASD and without ASD. MethodsFrom April 2017 to February 2019, 22 patients with suspected depression were admitted to the hospital for diagnosis or follow-up and met the inclusion criteria. The diagnosis was determined according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 by skilled psychiatrists. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D), Young Mania Raging Scale (YMRS), Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview, Parent-interview ASD Rating Scale-Text Revision (PARS-TR), and Autism-Spectrum Quotient-Japanese version (AQ-J) were used to assess the patients' background and help with diagnosis. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) was performed using the 3-T-MRI system. rs-fMRI was processed using the CONN functional connectivity toolbox. Voxel-based morphometry was performed using structural images. ResultsNo significant difference was observed between the Depress-wASD and Depression groups using the HAM-D, YMRS, AQ-J, Intelligence Quotient (IQ), and verbal IQ results. rs-fMRI for the Depress-wASD group indicated a positive connection between the salience network (SN) and right supramarginal gyrus (SMG) and a negative connection between the SN and hippocampus and para-hippocampus than that for the Depression group. No significant structural differences were observed between the groups. ConclusionsWe identified differences in the SN involving the SMG and hippocampal regions between the Depress-wASD and Depression groups.

Automated summary

It is difficult for researchers to distinguish between depression with ASD (Depress-wASD) and without ASD (Depression) in adult patients. This study aimed to clarify the differences in brain connectivity between patients with Depress-wASD and Depression. The results showed that patients with Depress-wASD exhibited positive connections between the salience network and the right supramarginal gyrus, and negative connections between the salience network and the hippocampus and para-hippocampus compared to the Depression group.